WEDDING FEES

(See Below for Celebration of Life / Memorial Services/ Baby Naming / Christening Fees)

PLEASE NOTE: As of May 30, 2015

In accordance with the statutes of the Commonwealth, fees for a baic civil ceremony only are:

• $100.00 if conducted in my city of Malden
• $150.00 if conducted in any other city / town 

However, the above is strictly for the conducting of the ceremony, (Please see fees below.) and does not include the writing vows / assisting of the ceremony, customized ceremonies, special requirements, parking where payment is required, email and phone contact, assisting in the coordinating of the entire wedding party before the ceremony begins, interacting with the photographer, videographer, musician / DJ, and wedding coordinator / planner, and travel fees to the rehearsal.

A customized marriage certificate and a copy of the final ceremony vows on special bond paper are provided to all couples free of charge. This is not required, just a special something that I do because I feel that it is important for all couples to have to remember their special day.

All payments for services rendered must be paid before a ceremony takes place as noted below. Final payments, after the initial deposit to hold your wedding date in my calendar, can be mailed a week before your ceremony date, or must be placed in the same envelope with the marriage license before the start of the ceremony. Payments cannot be mailed after a ceremony has taken place. Thank you. 

STANDARD WEDDING CEREMONY

$200.00

This is the fee for a standard, yet meaningful wedding ceremony consisting of ~ exchanging of wedding vows, exchanging of wedding rings, a blessing, and the pronouncement of marriage/ renewal of vows. This fee also includes in the writing of ceremony vows, unlimited phone calls and emails, helping you to understand the processional and recessional.

Above is the fee for a Customized Wedding Ceremony includes all of the above StandardWedding Vows, as well as other options, such as the exchanging of personal vows written by the couple, personal vows spoken by parents to their children in second marriages, readings by family members, and / or friends, Unity Candle, Sand Ceremony, Stone Ceremony, Wine, Box, and Love Letter Ceremony, Hands of the Bride and Groom Ceremony, Rose Ceremony, Handfasting, Remembrance of Loved Ones Poem, Breaking of the Glass, Signing of the Ketubah, etc.  This fee also includes in the writing of ceremony vows, unlimited phone calls and emails, helping you to understand the processional and recessional.

HOLIDAY WEDDING CEREMONY

$300.00

If your ceremony takes place on a holiday, or the evening before a holiday, if I am available, regardless of it being a standard or customized ceremony, or wherever I have to travel, the straight fee is as stated above.

SPORTING EVENT WEDDING CEREMONY

$500.00

This fee includes parking at all sporting events in New England; Fenway Park, TD Garden, and Gillette Stadium.

CRUISE SHIP WEDDING CEREMONY

$500.00

This fee involves my services being needed during the entire duration of a ship being out on the water for the ceremony and reception.



[PLEASE SEE BELOW FOR FEES FOR FACE-TO-FACE MEETINGS, REHEARSALS, AND A REQUIRED DEPOSIT TO HOLD YOUR WEDDING DATE IN MY CALENDAR.]

WEDDING REHEARSAL

$200.00

• There will be no additional cost if your wedding party arrives on time. This fee includes travel fees.
• Parking fees must be applied if held at a venue where payment is required to park.
• There is a lot involved in a wedding rehearsal, therefore, because most rehearsals are held on a weeknight, it is very important to inform your wedding party that they must keep weekday traffic in mind. If they are aware that a rehearsal starts at 7:00 p.m, it is wise for them to leave at a reasonable hour to arrive by 6:45 p.m. This also gives the couple getting married plenty of time to drop off any items that they will need to leave at their ceremony venue beforehand.

WEDDING DEPOSIT

$50.00

• A $50.00 non-refundable deposit to reserve your wedding date in Carol's calendar is required. Please note that this deposit will be deducted from your balance due, and you will indeed receive a confirmation of deposit via email for your records.
• Once your date is entered into my calendar, and should you cancel my services, this deposit will not be refunded.

FACE-TO-FACE MEETING TO DISCUSS WEDDING

$50.00

This is a one time fee regardless whether you are shopping around for the right fit with an officiant, or it is considered a:

• Pre-nuptial
• Planning
• Consultation, or an
• Interview

This payment is due at the completion of our meeting. This also applies to meetings with me when you are, what is known as, "shopping around" for an officiant. While I absolutely respect you for looking to "find the right officiant" who you will feel most comfortable with for your special day, as you should, because this is a very most important day in your life, at the same time, my time is precious to me, as well as very limited, but it is still time that I am providing to you, regardless of your hiring me. In addition to working full time, marrying couples, and attending wedding rehearsals, I meet with lots of couples. I could not possibly do this without charging. I know of no other wedding officiant who does not charge a fee for meeting with couples.

Having said that, a Face-to-Face Meeting is not always required, nor necessary. We can chat via phone to see if this is even needed.

You should also feel comforted in the fact that what you see on my website is me. This is my personality. I like to consider myself as being unique, fun, and very caring. Each and every one of my clients have, and are, treated as individuals and with special care. While some of my clients have required lots of my time, and others have not, each couple has alwaysbeen treated with my utmost respect and attention. With my experience of marrying over 900 couples, I am confident in my ability to provide all couples with a high quality wedding of their dreams.

PARKING AT VENUES

Parking Fees:  If your ceremony is being held in a hotel where you are charged a parking fee, that fee, whatever it may be for that particular hotel / function hall, must be included as well. Finding a parking spot in Boston / Cambridgeis extremely difficult, and in order to keep me from being late, it is always best to be able to park at the venue where the ceremony is taking place.

GRATUITIES/ TIPPING YOUR OFFICIANT

I am often asked the question if I should be tipped for my services. My answer to them is that is up to you. I am uncomfortable with answering this question. There is no correct answer for this question. This is basically based upon what you believe your officiant is worth, as well as, what you believe, is the right thing to do. However, keeping in mind that your officiant is the person who is providing you with a service for the most important part of your wedding day -- your wedding vows -- tips / gratuities are always appreciated. This lets your officiant know what you thought about their services,and is a minor fee compared to what you are paying to your other wedding vendors. In addition, some people are under the impression that a Massachusetts Justice of the Peace is a paid employee by the State of Massachusetts. We are not. We are appointed by the Governor of Massachusetts, however we do not receive any monies, or salaries, from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

NOTES

• Secondly, once the ceremony ends, couples are very excited to go and take part in the picture session of their wedding. An officiant does not feel comfortable, nor do they want to interfere in this special part of your wedding. In addition, most JPs must leave to perform other ceremonies. Therefore, to make it easier for all, it is best to put the officiant payment in the same envelope with the Marriage License and give it to the best man to hand to the officiant upon arrival of your ceremony.

WEDDING CEREMONY VOWS

Writing of Ceremony Vows:

Ceremony Vows that are written by me, an officiant, are the sole property of Carol J. Merletti, Weddingofyourdesire.com and are copyrighted. Sadly, a scam has developed since the "one-day-marriage / special license to marry" has become allowed by some states -- some individuals, certainly not all by any means, "pretend" to hire a Justice of the Peace to officiate over their wedding ceremony. Once they lock in their date, they receive vows written by their officiant. Later, they contact their officiant to inform him / her that they have decided to apply for the one day / special license for a friend / family member to marry them. We love your vows, however we no longer need your services. is the usual line, but not always. While this is, of course, a special day for them to always remember, what is not being remembered is that these vows were not written by their friend or family member, and therefore, these vows, are not their property to use. Nor should they feel good about themselves for using them. If a friend or family member wants to perform the ceremony, that is wonderful and of course, very special, however that friend or family member should write the vows.

In addition, the officiant, very kindly, and without taking a deposit -- based on trust, locked in the date of their ceremony in his / her calendar, believing that his / her services were now booked on that specific date and time. In turn, they tell other potential clients who really want their services that they are not available, because they believe that they are not.

Having said that, effective immediately, while I do not charge for vows, I now require a $50.00 non-refundable deposit, whichwill be deducted from yourceremony fee. Should you decide to cancel your wedding date in my calendar, regardless of your reason, this fee will not be returned. Once you have hired my services, I ask that you immediately send out a check payable to: Carol J. Merletti (Address will be given upon our initial conversation.)

I feel horrible that it has had to come to this. I have always been known to work with my clients based on their word, trust, and commitment, because I truly love what I do. But I have learned quickly that I can no longer depend on this because of a certain few who took advantage of my trust. My time, and my efforts that I provide to my clients are very valuable andprecious to me. It is a great feeling knowing that I am known for the good work that I provide to my clients. I take great pride in the vows that I have written for each and everyone one of my clients to make them personal. But now I can no longer over look the small number of people who have taken advantage of my good nature.

Therefore, I can not, and will not, allow others to take credit for materials that I have written, and will, without a doubt, pursue the matter legally. If you are using materials written by Carol J. Merletti I will pursue it.



CELEBRATION OF LIFE / MEMORIAL SERVICE FEES

$500.00

BABY NAMING / CHRISTENING FEES

$500.00